Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A method for preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal by feeding
the animal a food composition comprising potassium in an amount
equivalent to more than about 1% by weight potassium chloride and a food
composition suitable for preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal
comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more than about 1% by
weight potassium chloride.

Claims:

1-9. (canceled)

19-23. (canceled)

10. A method for preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal
comprising feeding the animal a food composition comprising potassium in
an amount equivalent to more than about 1% by weight potassium chloride.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the animal is canine or feline.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the amount of potassium in the
composition is equivalent to not more than about 20% by weight potassium
chloride.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the amount of potassium in the
composition is equivalent to about 2% to about 8% by weight potassium
chloride.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the amount of potassium in the
composition is equivalent to about 3% to about 5% by weight potassium
chloride.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the composition is nutritionally
adapted for feeding to an animal as a substantial part of the animal's
diet.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the animal is fed the composition for a
period of at least about 5 days.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising administering to the animal
an anti-urolithiasis agent.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the anti-urolithiasis agent is a drug
or nutraceutical that produces a desirable urine pH or prevents or treats
bacterial infection of the urinary tract.

19-23. (canceled)

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application is a divisional of United States patent application
Ser. No. 11/564,681, filed on Nov. 29, 2006 which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/740,560 filed Nov. 29, 2005, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]1. Field of the Invention

[0003]This invention relates generally to food compositions for animal
consumption and particularly to food compositions and methods for using
food compositions for preventing or treating urolithiasis.

[0004]2. Description of the Related Art

[0005]Urolithiasis is a urinary tract disorder characterized by presence
of solid deposits such as urinary or urinary calculi (also known as
stones) or excessive amounts of crystals in the urinary tract. These
solid deposits can form anywhere in the urinary system, including the
kidneys, ureters, urethra or, most commonly, the bladder. The deposits
can irritate the lining of the urinary tract, cause changes in the
lining, and often cause pain. In extreme cases, uroliths can partially or
totally block the flow of urine and cause urination to become difficult,
painful, or impossible.

[0006]Urolith formation is a significant clinical problem for many
animals, including companion animals such as dogs and cats. There are
many types of uroliths such as struvite, calcium oxalate, calcium
phosphate, ammonium acid urate, carbonate apatite, xanthine, cystine, and
silica. Two prevalent types of uroliths in cats and dogs are struvite,
also known as MAP (magnesium ammonium phosphate), and calcium oxalate.

[0007]Although the etiology of urolithiasis in animals is not fully
understood, many factors may be involved in the formation of various
types of uroliths in animals. These factors include, but are not limited
to, oversaturated urine, extreme urine pH, urinary tract bacteria
infection, genetic makeup, age, sex, and dietary factors.

[0008]Methods for treatment of urolithiasis have focused on surgical
removal of uroliths or, in the case of struvite uroliths, dietary
adjustments. Methods also include using drugs that result in an acidic
urine to dissolve the urolith. Such dietary adjustments typically involve
the modification of food so that acidic urine is produced after the food
is metabolized in the body. Often, the dietary adjustments also have
restricted amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, and protein (protein
restriction leads to decreased ammonium levels) and in some cases
increased levels of sodium (generally as sodium chloride) which can
stimulate water consumption by the animal. These dietary adjustments have
inherent disadvantages. For example, an animal must be limited more or
less completely to a specific food. Otherwise the crucial restriction of
magnesium, phosphorus, and protein can easily be undone. Further,
increased sodium intake may have deleterious effects on the animal's
long-term health in certain conditions such as in animals with kidney
disease.

[0009]Similarly, for calcium oxalate uroliths, reduced dietary intake of
oxalate, calcium, sodium, and protein are typically recommended. Such
dietary adjustments are disadvantageous, however, because reduction of
intake of essential minerals can be detrimental to the animal's health.

[0010]Prevention of urolith formation has also focused on increasing water
intake to increase urine volume and therefore reduce the concentration of
urolith-forming components. Therefore, increasing water intake is the
most common recommendation in the management of urolithiasis in animals
as well as in humans. Increasing urine volume, however, can be difficult
in animals. For instance, for companion animals such as dogs and cats,
veterinarians typically recommend replacing of dry foods with high
moisture foods such as canned pet foods to increase water intake and
urine volume. A dietary approach to preventing and treating that permits
feeding wet or dry foods would be a desirable advance in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011]The invention provides a food composition useful for preventing or
treating urolithiasis in an animal comprising potassium in an amount
equivalent to more than about 1% by weight potassium chloride on a dry
matter basis. Typically, the composition is nutritionally adapted for
feeding to an animal as a substantial part of the animal's diet.

[0012]The invention also provides a method for preventing or treating
urolithiasis in an animal comprising feeding the animal a food
composition comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more than
about 1% by weight potassium chloride. Generally, the food composition is
feed as a substantial part of the animal's diet for a period sufficient
to prevent or treat urolithiasis.

[0013]The invention further provides a method for promoting urinary
wellness in an animal comprising feeding the animal a food composition
comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more than about 1% by
weight potassium chloride.

[0014]The invention also provides a kit comprising a potassium supplement
and one or more of (a) a base food nutritionally adapted for feeding to
an animal as a substantial part of its diet; (b) an anti-urolithiasis
agent other than a potassium supplement; (c) a diagnostic device for
measuring urine pH; and (d) a means for communicating information about
or instructions for one or more of (i) using the diagnostic device; (ii)
adjusting or controlling urine pH; (iii) adding the potassium supplement
to the base food to provide a food composition comprising potassium in an
amount equivalent to more than about 1% by weight potassium chloride; and
(iv) promoting urinary wellness or preventing or treating urolithiasis in
an animal.

[0015]The invention further provides a means for communicating information
about promoting urinary wellness or preventing or treating urolithiasis
in an animal by feeding the animal a food composition comprising
potassium in an amount equivalent to more than about 1% by weight
potassium chloride. Such communicating means can illustratively be
selected from the group consisting of product labels, package inserts,
brochures, handouts, advertisements, public announcements, audiotapes,
videotapes, DVDs, CD-ROMs, computer readable chips, cards and disks,
computer memory, web pages, and combinations thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016]The invention provides a composition suitable for preventing or
treating urolithiasis in an animal. The composition comprises a
urolithiasis preventing or treating amount of potassium. The invention is
based upon the discovery that feeding an animal a potassium
chloride-enriched food composition increases urine volume. Increasing
urine volume prevents urolithiasis in animals susceptible to the disorder
or treats urolithiasis in animals suffering from the disorder. Generally,
the potassium chloride-enriched food composition is feed to an animal as
part of a substantially complete diet for a period sufficient to prevent
or treat the disorder.

[0017]The invention is effective when the food composition is a dry food,
e.g., kibbles. The effect has been observed in both canines and felines.
An increase in urine volume is useful for preventing and/or treating
urolithiasis and therefore in promoting urinary wellness of an animal.

[0018]A "potassium-enriched" food herein is one that is nutritionally
adapted for feeding to an animal as a substantial part of its diet, but
contains a higher level of potassium than is tropically recommended for
feeding a healthy animal.

[0019]Feeding a food composition as "a substantial part" of an animal's
diet means that the food composition provides a sufficient daily ration
to satisfy the animal's dietary requirements at least of energy and
protein. Supplements and/or treats can be consumed bad the animal in
addition to such a food composition. The particular potassium-enriched
food composition can be varied over time, but the potassium level should
remain above the typically recommended level for a healthy animal, for a
period effective to prevent or treat urolithiasis.

[0020]The term "animal" means any animal susceptible to or suffering from
urolithiasis. The methods and compositions of the invention are useful
for a variety of human and non-human animals susceptible to or suffering
from urolithiasis, including avian, bovine, canine, equine, feline,
hicrine, murine, ovine, and porcine animals. In some embodiments, the
animal is a companion animal such as canine or feline, particularly a dog
or a cat.

[0021]In a particular embodiment, the animal is a companion animal. A
"companion animal" herein is an individual animal kept by a human
caregiver as a pet, or any individual animal that has been widely
domesticated as pets, including dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis
domestictus), whether or not the individual animal is kept solely or
partly for companionship. Thus "companion animals" herein include working
dogs, farm cats kept for rodent control, etc., as well as pet dogs and
cats.

[0022]Foods nutritionally adapted for canines and felines (herein referred
to as "pet foods") have heretofore typically contained potassium in an
amount equivalent to up to about 1% potassium chloride (KCl) on a dry
matter basis, in many cases much less than this. It is believed, in
accordance with the invention, that any increase in the amount of
potassium in an animal's diet can be helpful in preventing or treating
urolithiasis, for example by increasing urine volume. Accordingly, a food
composition of the present invention comprises potassium in a KCl
equivalent amount greater than about 1%.

[0023]The amount of potassium in the composition does not exceed a level
that is safe and non-toxic to the animal. For example, the potassium
level should not be so high as to cause hyperkalemia. In one embodiment
the KCl equivalent amount of potassium is more than about 1%, up to about
20%.

[0024]More typically, the KCl equivalent amount of potassium in the
composition is about 2% to about 8%, for example about 3% to about 5%.
For both canines and felines, a potassium level of at least about 2% will
generally be found suitable, and further benefits can be obtained,
particularly in felines, by increasing this to at least about 3%, again
expressed as KCl equivalent.

[0025]Potassium can be present in a food compositions of the invention in
any form, but is generally in the form of a potassium salt, including
without limitation acetate, bicarbonate, chloride, citrate, cyanate,
gluconate, glutamate, glycerophosphate, guaiacol sulfonate, iodate,
nitrite, phosphate, sorbate, sulfate and tartrate salts and combinations
thereof. In one embodiment the potassium is present at least in part as
one or more salts selected from the group consisting of potassium
chloride, potassium citrate, potassium sulfate and combinations thereof.
Most commonly the potassium is present wholly or partly as potassium
chloride; it is for this reason that potassium amounts herein are
expressed as potassium chloride (KCl) equivalent amounts. KCl equivalent
amounts can be converted to potassium ion amounts using a conversion
factor of about 0.52.

[0026]Potassium-enriched wet or dry foods can be prepared by any
conventional process for such foods, wherein one or more potassium salts,
most typically potassium chloride, is added to the mix or blend of
ingredients. It is generally most convenient to add the potassium salt in
aqueous solution to ensure homogeneous distribution in the resulting food
composition.

[0027]In an embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for
increasing urine volume in an animal, for example a canine or feline.
This method comprises feeding the animal a potassium-enriched food
composition as described above.

[0028]Without being bound by theory, it is believed that feeding a
potassium chloride-enriched food composition to an animal leads to an
increase in osmolarity of the animal's intercellular fluid. Such
increased osmolarity tends to make the animal thirstier, leading to an
increase in water consumption. As part of its water regulation function,
the animal's body then diverts a substantial portion of this increased
water consumption to the urine, increasing its total volume. An increase
in urine volume is normally associated with a decrease in urine specific
gravity, as the urine becomes less concentrated in solutes including the
minerals that tend to form uroliths.

[0029]The present invention provides a method for preventing or treating
urolithiasis in an animal. The method comprises feeding the animal a
potassium-enriched food composition as described above. Generally, the
composition is feed as a substantial part of the animal's diet for a
urolithiasis preventing or treating effective period. What constitutes a
urolithiasis preventing or treating effective period depends on a number
of factors, including the species and breeds of the animal, any disease
conditions that are predisposing to urolith formation (e.g., bacterial
infection of the urinary tract), the degree of potassium enrichment of
the food composition, whether or not uroliths are already present, and
other factors. A benefit in urine volume and/or urine specific gravity
can occur within days (e.g., within about 5 days) of commencement of
feeding the composition. In particular situations, a feeding period
effective to prevent or treat urolithiasis can be as little as about 5
days, or can be longer, for example at least about 1 week, at least about
2 weeks, at least about 4 weeks, at least about 6 weeks or at least about
12 weeks. For an animal chronically at risk of urolithiasis, a food
composition of the invention can be fed as a substantial part of its diet
for an unlimited period, for example for the duration of the animal's
life.

[0030]In management of urolithiasis or risk thereof, a method of the
invention can be used alone or in combination with one or more other
approaches. Such approaches include dietary intervention in addition to
potassium enrichment, for example adjustment in diet to promote a
desirable urine pH. In one embodiment, the present method comprises, in
addition to feeding a potassium-enriched food composition as described
herein, administering one or more anti-urolithiasis agents.

[0031]An "anti-urolithiasis agent" herein is an agent (for example a drug
or a nutraceutical) having preventive or therapeutic anti-urolithiasis
effect by any mechanism, for example by cooperating vital the
potassium-enriched food to increase urine volume, or, cooperatively with
or independently, of the potassium-enriched food, by modifying urine pH,
or preventing or treating a bacterial infection of the urinary tract such
as antibiotics.

[0032]As urine pH is a readily measured and useful indicator of
urolithiasis risk, the present method optionally further comprises
monitoring the animal's urine pH during the feeding period. Any known
device for measuring urine pH, including indicator strips or dipstick,
can be used.

[0033]Urine pH can be influenced by certain components of the food
composition. For example, cation-anion balance can have an effect, as can
levels of sulfur-containing amino acids. In one embodiment, the food
composition comprises (a) potassium in an amount equivalent to more than
about 1% by weight potassium chloride; and one or both of (b) cations and
anions in a ratio effective to produce a desirable urine pH; and (c)
sulfur-containing amino acids in an amount effective to produce a
desirable urine pH.

[0034]Urolithiasis is one of several conditions that can be mediated by
low water intake that leads to low urine volume and corresponding high
urine specific gravity. Thus, in another embodiment, a method is provided
for preventing or treating a low water intake mediated condition in an
animal, comprising feeding the animal, as a substantial part of its diet
for a period effective for such prevention or treatment, a
potassium-enriched food composition as described above.

[0035]Urinary tract infections, for example bacterial infections, can be
ameliorated by increasing water intake and hence urine volume. In one
embodiment, therefore, a method is provided for preventing or treating a
urinary tract infection in an animal, comprising feeding the animal, as a
substantial part of its diet for a period effective for such prevention
or treatment, a potassium-enriched food composition as described above.
The method optionally further comprises administering an antibacterial
drug such as antibiotics.

[0036]According to any of the above methods, the potassium-enriched food
can be pre-manufactured or prepared by the animal's caregiver, for
example immediately before feeding. Preparation by the caregiver can be
by adding a potassium supplement, for example a supplement comprising a
potassium salt such as potassium chloride, to a base food in an amount
sufficient to raise the potassium content of the resulting composition
above about 1% KCl equivalent. The base food and the potassium supplement
can be sourced or purchased independently of one another, but
conveniently for the caregiver these items can be supplied in a kit.

[0037]In one aspect, the invention provides a kit comprising a potassium
supplement and one or more of the following: [0038](a) a base food
nutritionally adapted for feeding to an animal as a substantial part of
its diet; [0039](b) an anti-urolithiasis agent other than a potassium
supplement; [0040](c) a diagnostic device for measuring urine pH; and
[0041](d) a means for communicating information about or instructions for
one or more of the following: [0042](i) using the diagnostic device;
[0043](ii) adjusting or controlling urine pH; [0044](iii) adding the
potassium supplement to the base food to provide a food composition
comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more than about 1% by
weight potassium chloride; and [0045](iv) promoting urinary wellness or
preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal.

[0046]The kit components can be physically bundled or packaged together or
can be provided in a virtual package. A "virtual package" is a means for
providing the elements of a kit to a consumer, in this case an animal's
caregiver, wherein the elements are not physically bundled or packaged
together. Examples of virtual packaging are well known in the marketing
arts. For example, a package containing the potassium supplement can
have, for example, on wrapping or a label on the package or on a package
insert, a coupon for purchase of the base food (or vice versa).
Alternatively, such a coupon could be for purchase of an
anti-urolithiasis agent or a diagnostic device for measuring urine pH.
The coupon optionally entitles the purchaser to a discount or rebate on
the purchase price of one or more elements of the kit. As another example
of a virtual package, the potassium supplement, the base food, the
anti-urolithiasis agent or the diagnostic device can carry a reference to
a communicating means, for example information about or instructions for
use of the kit, located elsewhere, for example in a virtual environment
such as a website.

[0047]In another aspect, the invention provides a means for communicating
information about or instructions for promoting urinary wellness or
preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal by feeding the animal a
food composition comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more
than about 1% by weight potassium chloride. The communicating means can
utilize any medium or combination of media, including printed media
(documents), digital or optical storage media, audiovisual media, etc.,
and can illustratively be selected from the group consisting of product
labels, package inserts, brochures, handouts, advertisements, visual
displays, public announcements, audiotapes, videotapes, DVDs, CD-ROMs,
computer readable chips, cards and disks, computer memory, web pages, and
combinations thereof. Preferred communicating means include a product
label, a package insert, a brochure, an advertisement, a visual display
or a website, for example accessible via a user interface at a point of
sale.

[0048]In a further aspect, the present invention provides for a use of a
composition comprising potassium in an amount equivalent to more than
about 1% by weight potassium chloride to prepare a medicament. In
another, the invention provides for the use of such composition to
prepare a medicament for maintaining and/or improving animal health,
e.g., for preventing or treating urolithiasis in an animal. Generally,
medicaments are prepared by admixing a compound or composition with
excipients, buffers, binders, plasticizers, colorants, diluents,
compressing agents, lubricants, flavorants, moistening agents, and other
ingredients known to skilled artisans to be useful for producing
medicaments and formulating medicaments that are suitable for
administration to an animal.

[0050]This invention is not limited to the particular methodology,
protocols, and reagents described herein because they may vary. Further,
the terminology, used herein is for the purpose of describing particular
embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present
invention. As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms
"a," "an," and "the" include plural reference unless the context clearly
dictates otherwise. Similarly, the words "comprise", "comprises", and
"comprising" are to be interpreted inclusively rather than exclusively.

[0051]Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms and any
acronyms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one
of ordinary skill in the art in the field of the invention. Although any
methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can
be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred methods,
devices, and materials are described herein.

[0052]All patents, patent applications, and publications mentioned herein
are incorporated herein by reference to the extent allowed by law for the
purpose of describing and disclosing the compounds, processes,
techniques, procedures, technology, articles, and other compositions and
methods disclosed therein that might be used with the present invention.
However, nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the
invention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior
invention.

EXAMPLES

[0053]The invention can be further illustrated by the following examples
of preferred embodiments thereof, although it will be understood that
these examples are included merely for purposes of illustration and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise
specifically indicated.

Example 1

[0054]A study was conducted using a Latin-Square design to investigate
effect of increasing dietary, potassium chloride on water intake and
various urine parameters including urine volume and urine specific
gravity in canines.

[0055]Nine beagles were randomly divided into 3 groups, 3 dogs in each
group. All dogs were housed individually so that urine from each dog
could be independently collected. The daily amount of food provided to
each dog was adjusted for maintenance of body weight. Deionized water was
available to the dogs at all times.

[0057]Food and water intake and urine volume were recorded for each dog.
Urine was collected from all dogs during the last 5 days of the test
period, and analyzed for volume, specific gravity, phosphorus (P),
magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl) and potassium
(K). Results, averaged for all dogs, are presented in Table 1.

[0058]After consuming the potassium chloride-enriched food for 10 days,
the dogs exhibited a 36% increase in water intake, a 32% increase in
ratio of water intake to food intake, and a 43% increase in urine volume.
Urine specific gravity was reduced from 1.028 to 1.024. Concentrations of
P, Mg, Na and Ca in urine were also reduced.

[0059]In summary, this study showed that factors predisposing to
urolithiasis in canines, including low urine volume and high urine
specific gravity, could be ameliorated by feeding a potassium
chloride-enriched food composition according to the invention.

Example 2

[0060]A study was conducted using a Latin-Square design to investigate
effect of increasing dietary potassium chloride on water intake and
various urine parameters including urine volume and urine specific
gravity in felines.

[0061]Nine American domestic shorthair cats were randomly divided into 3
groups, 3 cats in each group. All cats were housed individually so that
urine from each cat could be independently collected. The daily amount of
food provided to each cat was adjusted for maintenance of body weight.
Deionized water was available to the cats at all times.

[0062]Cats were fed their assigned foods according to the Latin-Square
design for two weeks. The control food (Food 3) was a dry commercial
feline food composition comprising brewers rice, poultry by-product meal,
corn gluten meal, calcium sulfate dihydrate, choline chloride, calcium
carbonate, iodized salt, taurine, vitamin premix, mineral premix, animal
fat, palatability enhancers, and potassium chloride (about 1.0% by weight
of the food). Test foods were made by supplementing Food 3 with
additional potassium chloride (about 2.3% by weight of the food, Food 4;
or about 3.6% by weight of the food, Food 5). No other food was provided
during the study period.

[0063]Food and water intake and urine volume were recorded for each cat.
Urine were collected from all cats during the second week of the study,
and analyzed for urine volume, specific gravity, pH, P, Mg, Ca, Na, Cl
and K. Results, averaged for all cats, are presented in Table 2

[0064]After consuming Food 4, the cats exhibited increases in water
intake, in ratio of water intake to food intake, and in urine volume.
Urine specific gravity was reduced from 1.057 to 1.050. Concentrations of
P, Mg and Na in urine were also reduced. After consuming Food 5, water
intake, ratio of water intake to food intake, and urine volume were all
further increased, urine specific gravity further reduced to 1.043, and
concentrations of P, Mg and Na in urine further reduced.

[0065]In summary, this study showed that factors predisposing to
urolithiasis in felines, including low urine volume and high urine
specific gravity, could be ameliorated by feeding a potassium
chloride-enriched food composition according to the invention.

Example 3

[0066]A study was conducted to investigate effect of increasing dietary
potassium chloride on water intake and urine volume in felines.

[0067]Twelve American domestic shorthair cats were randomly divided into 2
groups, 6 cats in each group. All cats were housed individually so that
urine from each cat could be independently collected. One group was given
a control food (Food 6) and the other group was fed the same food
supplemented with additional potassium chloride (Food 7) for 2-1 days.
The daily amount of food provided to each cat was adjusted for
maintenance of body weight. Tap water was available to the cats at all
times.

[0069]Food intake and urine volume were recorded for each cat. Urine
samples from all cats were collected during the last 5 days of the
feeding period, and analyzed for urine volume, Cl and K. Results,
averaged for all cats, are presented in Table 3.

[0070]The cats receiving the potassium chloride-enriched food exhibited a
46% increase in urine volume by comparison with the cats receiving the
control food (Food 6). This study provided further evidence that a major
factor predisposing to urolithiasis in felines, namely low urine volume,
could be ameliorated by feeding a potassium chloride-enriched food
composition according to the invention.

Example 4

[0071]A crossover study was conducted to investigate effect of increasing
dietary potassium chloride on water intake and various urine parameters
including urine volume and urine specific gravity in canines.

[0072]Eight beagles were randomly divided into 2 groups, 4 dogs in each
group. All dogs were housed individually so that urine from each dog
could be independently collected. One group was given a control food
(Food 8) and the other group was fed the same food supplemented with
additional potassium chloride (Food 9) for 10 days. The foods were then
crossed between the two groups and fed for an additional 10 days. The
daily amount of food provided to each dog was adjusted for maintenance of
body weight. Deionized water was available to the dogs at all times.

[0074]Food intake and urine volume were recorded for each dog. Urine
samples from all dogs were collected during the last 5 days of each study
period (days 5-10 and 15-20), and analyzed for urine volume, specific
gravity, P, Mg, Ca, Na and K. Results, averaged for all 8 dogs, are
presented in Table 4.

[0075]After consuming the potassium chloride-enriched food, the dogs
exhibited a 37% increase in total water intake, a 29% increase in ratio
of water intake to dry matter intake, and a 34% increase in urine volume.
Urine specific gravity was reduced from 1.030 to 1.025. Concentrations of
P, Mg, Ca, and Na in urine were also reduced.

[0076]In summary, this study showed that factors predisposing to
urolithiasis in canines, including low urine volume and high urine
specific gravity, could be ameliorated by feeding a potassium
chloride-enriched food composition according to the invention.

[0077]In the specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred
embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,
they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the
claims. Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention are
possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be
understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may
be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.